Bicycle advocates to count cyclists in Los Angeles

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By the end of this week, one group hopes to have calculated just how many cyclists and pedestrians there are in Los Angeles. KPCC’s Brian Watt explains.

Brian Watt: If you see people at key intersections scribbling notes on clipboards, they’re likely helping out the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition. Planning director Dorothy Le says the coalition is after more than just the sum of people who travel on foot or bike.

Watt: And they’re noting whether or not cyclists are wearing helmets. Le says cities like New York, San Francisco, and Seattle with bike-friendly infrastructure conduct their counts every year. But this will be the first one in 20 years for L.A.

Le: We hope that with these counts, L.A. will see that there are a lot of cyclists.

Watt: And, she says, the data will help city transportation planners develop a bicycle master plan.